Galway is the City of the Tribes, and Galway International Arts Festival looks to embrace all its tribes, old and new. We always strive to provide a warm welcome and to deliver a positive Festival experience for all.
We are committed to being as accessible as possible and inclusive of all individuals irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, religion, age, disability, race, membership of the Traveller community or socio-economic status.
To see a version of our EDI plan please click here. In the sections below, you can find out about our ticketing policy, venue access and accessibility services for those with additional access requirements. Should you have any questions, or if you have any specific requests, please email info@giaf.ie.
We have compiled a list of our Festival venues with detailed information on accessible entrance, seats, toilets and nearby accessible parking spots. You can access it here. You can find access information under each venue on the website. When on an event page, the venue listed is clickable and will take you to a separate page with further information.
Please let us know of any special needs or requirements at the time of booking. If you require spaces for mobility devices, such as a wheelchair or scooter, or spaces for a support person please advise the box office when booking. For most ticketed events, venues are fit to accommodate those using mobility devices. Please indicate your accessibility requirements in the comment box at the time of booking.
GIAF endeavours to ensure that all Festival venues are accessible, however a number of partner venues have restricted access including Monroe’s, Róisín Dubh, King’s Head and Galway Arts Centre (ground floor only).
Accessible seating is available in a convenient riser location with great stage sightlines at the Heineken Big Top. The elevated riser is for those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters. It is a non-smoking area, and space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’d like accessible seating, you should inform the Box Office when booking your tickets so spaces can be reserved for you. There is no guarantee of available space on this riser without a prior reservation.
Concessions on selected shows are available for senior citizens (65 +), unwaged, persons in receipt of disability allowance, asylum seekers and refugees and full-time students with appropriate ID. Concession tickets are for theatre, dance and circus shows only and can be bought online or at the box office where available. Please note customers may be asked proof of status at venues.
Companions are entitled to a free ticket, please contact our Box Office to book this at boxoffice@giaf.ie or on 091 566577.
Guide dogs and assistance dogs are permitted to performances at each GIAF venue however some shows/concerts in Monroe’s live venue may not allow the accompaniment of guide and assistance dogs in the interest of the animals’ own safety. If you plan to attend with a guide dog or an assistance dog, please let us know by contacting the box office at: boxoffice@giaf.ie or on 091 566577.
Thursday 17 July 7pm Captioned Performance
Thursday 24 July 2pm ISL-interpreted play
Captioned Performance Friday 18 July 6pm
ISL-interpreted performance Saturday 19 July 1pm
ISL-interpreted performance and relaxed performance Saturday 19 July 3.30pm
Visual Arts
Touch tours for visually impaired audiences – free but requires booking by emailing Elena at: etoniato@giaf.ie
Burning Down the House (David Mach)
Festival Gallery Thursday 17 July 10am
14–27 July
Sunday to Wednesday from 11 am
Every 20 minutes to 6 pm
Thursday to Saturday from 11 am
Every 30 minutes to 8 p.m
Touch Tour
Friday 18 July, 10AM
Booking required due to limited space -Email etoniato@giaf.ie or call 087 768820
Tactile Tunes is an interactive exhibition by Arts Alive, a collective of artists with an intellectual disability and artist Jane Cassidy.
Aul Maxima, University of Galway
14-27 July, 1pm-6pm
Saturdays and Sundays
11am-6pm
Group bookings for services and schools supporting groups with disabilities via giaf.ie Mondays-Fridays, 10am-1pm
Festival Gallery
16, 23 July, 11am-1pm
These include ear defenders and fidget toys and will be available for borrowing at key Festival venues and at the Festival box office.
Touch tours (geared towards visually impaired audiences) are available for:
Burning Down the House by David Mach, in the Festival Gallery, An Post, William Street on Thursday 17 July at 10 am (free but booking required, please email Elena at etoniato@giaf.ie or call 087 7688206)
The Baby’s Room - the world premiere of a new work, the twelfth in an ongoing series of immersive theatre installations, by Enda Walsh with design by Paul Fahy. Friday 18 July. Visually impaired tour at 10am, followed by tour for neurodivergent audience at 10.30am (free but booking required, please email Elena at etoniato@giaf.ie or call 087 7688206)
An audio guide will be available at the Festival Gallery.
Sensory Backpacks are designed for adults and children who may find the festival environment overwhelming and who may have particular sensory needs. The backpacks contain ear defenders, a stress ball and fidget toys.
A limited number of sensory backpacks will be available to borrow during the Festival, more details will be shared closer to the Festival 2025.
We have recently become proud members of the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities initiative. Some disabilities are not obvious to others which can make it harder for some people to believe that someone with a non-visible disability needs understanding and support. The Sunflower hidden disabilities initiative provides a tool which allows people to share that they have a hidden disability by wearing a sunflower in the form of a badge or a lanyard. If you wear one of those you can watch out for our venue managers who will be also wearing a sunflower tool and can provide support. For more information on the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities Initiative, you can click here.